Big Law Life #73: What Lawyers Wish They Knew Before Picking a Practice Area
In today’s episode, I walk through one of the most important—but often rushed—decisions in a legal career, choosing a practice area. Whether you're a junior associate deciding where to start or a mid-level lawyer rethinking your long-term fit, this episode lays out ten insights lawyers frequently wish they'd heard before committing to a specialty.
I unpack what day-to-day work in different practice areas actually looks like (not just what it sounds like on paper or in theory), the types of clients and stressors you can expect, and how to think about exit options, marketability, and long-term sustainability. I also cover what happens when your specialty is too niche or too trendy, and how to evaluate whether a practice area is keeping up with new developments over time.
This episode is about helping you choose a path that aligns with how you work best, including over the long term in your legal career.
At a Glance: 00:00 Introduction and why law school doesn't prepare you for picking a practice area 01:20 Considering how you prefer to work and what that means for certain practices 02:19 The benefits of shadowing or observing potential specialties before committing 03:22 Myths about what you think certain practices are like v. reality 04:09 Why you may spend years waiting for “real” litigation experience 05:15 Deal work isn’t easier—it’s just a different kind of pressure 06:14 The stress of transactional work at junior and senior levels 07:10 Which practice areas and other training may offer potential exit options from firms 08:00 How geography can affect your legal opportunities 09:20 How the type of clients you serve can affect your work 10:11 Why cross-border work can be a variable to consider 11:22 The impact of certain practices areas on your career over time 12:12 Practice areas most vulnerable to AI-driven developments 12:57 The potential risks of overspecialization 13:53 Beware of trend-driven practice areas that may fizzle out 15:19 Cybersecurity: a cautionary tale of legal work vs. non-legal demands 15:44 Why mid-levels often give better career advice than partners 16:56 The real question behind choosing your practice area
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Show notes: https://www.lauraterrell.com/podcast